What a Difference a Year Makes

Our first year of traveling has been so many things: In order of when they occurred:

painful

scary

lonely

exciting

fun

chaotic

free

exceedingly happy

and now peaceful;

my dream come true.

Now that we've lived it and I can look back on the year, I realize that it was all about growing as people, that relationships are more important than possessions and the active act appreciating what and who we have in our lives.

 

 We have learned that we can live with less than we ever dreamed and be happier than when we had more than we needed.

 



We sold most of our possessions, left Texas for places unknown. and it was exciting.

After trains, planes, automobiles and ferries we landed in Langkawi.



 ...and it was good

 

 

After a while we went to Penang and found a place to stay..

 

 Penang is Amazing

  

and beautiful...

 



We helped where we could...

 

 

 

  
Grocery shopping was a wondrous occasion, chicken feet anyone?

 

Along with some humorous sights, many humorous sights...

 

 

 a hard hat AND a cowboy hat, why haven't I thought of that?

 

we travelled

 double-decker bus to Kuala Lumpur



the luxury bus to Thailand



 



Rio and her Dad- Koh Lanta, Thailand

River and his Dad, our room Koh Lanta, Thailand

Longboat ride to Koh Mook

Love that face...

 

Exploring Southern Thailand

Thaipusam: Pain and Devotion



Thaipusam

 

Wow! frightening* disturbing* eye opening* mind broadening* thought provoking*

 

I wanted to see and experience this festival mainly because I am a student of the human experience, the human human. I am fascinated by people and what they are all about, what they eat, what they believe.

This did not disappoint! In one day we observed pain in the name of devotion to a god, sacrificial hair cuts in gratitude of illnesses cured, and almost a million people who wanted to see and be a part of it. And eat lots of free curry.

 





 We were shocked to see men and a few women walking around with their bodies covered with everything from limes to small milk vessels to coconuts. They wore huge Kaviti, these big decorative shrine-like things on their bodies and walked for miles in the heat. They pierced their faces with swords, and some had giant hooks stuck through the skin on their back and were pulling other devotees. Each one stopped at every intersection along the procession route and cut a lime in quarters to throw to each of the four points of the intersection to prevent evil from entering the pierced devotee.

If I were better with words, I would paint a more detailed picture, one that would make you fee like you were right there-  I'm working on that... for now my photos will give you an idea of our experience.

The devotees carried milk to the temple

Each one of these little milk vessels is stuck through his skin with a hook

Some were almost fashionable...

others were of the thinking that more pain would show more devotion, so they leaned into it

Wow...Just Wow...

 

Kaviti

 

We watched this devotee from beginning to end, he was "our guy"

the spear pulls this fellow's mouth up into a snarly grin

 

And my favorite~ the people , the average Joes or Meeshanths just out and about for Thaipusam

No shoes in the temple

Resting and cooling off

the long walk up to the temple

even the young boys were proving their devotion

taking out the hooks

/walking back to our room I saw this...I'd like to join...

Back in Penang

Woke up in Penang today and it is gorgeous! We are staying at the Hard Rock Hotel, included with our Stage Pass we got last April. Love that offer at Hard Rock! You pay a reasonable fee and get to swim in their awesome pool for a year, along with several other great benefits that include a room for one night. This place is lush. The best shower I have EVER had- It was one of those rain showers that the water falls straight down on you. I stayed in there for probably 45 minutes and never ran out of hot water The. Best. Ever. The best bed I’ve slept in in years and just like I like it and like I had at home, like forever ago, all white cotton, like sleeping in a cloud.

The rooms are rockin!

 

 

Seaview

 

 

. Great 24 hr room service. And the room itself was rockin! They also offer complimentary breakfast; a whole room full of delicious breakfast choices. From noodles to waffles, it was superb



 

 

  Rio had a little impromptu party with some of her friends from school. They swam, ate pizza went out to the beach and had a great time.  She made some very close friends in the short time we were here. I am glad. I hope the friendship will remain strong after we move on...

 

I got to meet the mom of one of Rios friend’s; we sat and shared a pizza and salad. She is Hindu and is going to Thaipusm tomorrow. We had a wonderful conversation about the meaning of the rituals she really brought it all to life for me.

 I am so in love with traveling and meeting all these fascinating people, I never want it to stop…



Thai... What?

THAIPUSAM

 

Thaipusam the word Thaipusam is a combination of the name of the month it is held: Thai, and the name of the star: pusam. It is a religious Hindu festival celebrated on the full moon of the Tamil month of Thai which is January or February. The star, pusam is at its highest point during this time. The festival is a celebration of the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a Vel or a spear so he could kill the evil demon Soorapadman.

It’s just Rio and I traveling now. After the initial heartache of Pete going back to the U.S. Rio and I have really gotten excited about our upcoming travels. This weekend we are going to Penang by ferry, Mid February we will be taking a sailing course together so we will be at sea for two weeks then at of February we are going to Chiang Mai, Thailand by train/plane for a month. She is helping me with the train schedules and flight reservations; she’s an all around joy to be around, I can’t think of anyone else I would rather travel with really! (Don’t tell Pete, but sometimes he just doesn’t have enough get up and go for me!)

I am very excited a to share this with my friends and family, so check back in the days to come for updates!

 

Homeschooling Hangover

Since we did arrive in the middle of the school year and I have homeschooled before I thought I would just home school again, no problem. I packed what seemed like tons of books (and paid dearly at the check in counter in the airport) bought some great school supplies at the book store at the fabulous Gurney Plaza and set up a very upbeat school room complete with giant sized world maps.  That was the fun part.

What I forgot about homeschooling is the reason I had stopped homeschooling- It’s hard! And my kids are mean! And after a while we start hating each other! And every day someone or everyone runs into their bedroom and cries.

Rio and I are old pros at it even though we do butt heads and have to go to neutral corners every once in awhile, but River? My sweet smiling, bring me breakfast in bed boy turns into Demon Spawn when it’s time to do school. We vow to start ‘anew’ every day vowing that today is going to be good and that we are going to do better today than yesterday. But usually 15 minutes into our first lesson I’m clinching my fists and River has slinked down into his chair and I can barely see him over the table.  So we take lots of breaks and end up hugging it out a lot, but not getting much reading writing or arithmetic accomplished here….I feel drained.

Seeking Salvation

We have set out to find a church, a place, for me, to find peace, to find answers- a father to hold me and gently apply some healing salve to my still raw, still aching spirit.

We found just that at Penang International Church a wonderful church with great people. Now if we can get there on time. Come on #104!